


A Good Sign

by emynn (orphan_account)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-23
Updated: 2012-09-23
Packaged: 2017-11-14 20:49:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/519374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/emynn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry takes a chance on a sign.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Good Sign

_**Fic: A Good Sign**_  
 **Title:** A Good Sign  
 **Author:** [](http://emynn.insanejournal.com/profile)[**emynn**](http://emynn.insanejournal.com/)  
 **Rating:** PG-13  
 **Summary:** Harry takes a chance on a sign.  
 **Word Count:** ~1,100  
 **Warnings:** *squints* None that I can see  
 **A/N:** Written for [](http://alisanne.insanejournal.com/profile)[**alisanne**](http://alisanne.insanejournal.com/), who prompted me with Snarry, slippery when wet. Not beta read.  
 **Disclaimer:** So not mine.  
  
  
  
Harry took a deep breath and reached for the door handle. This was it. He had come into Severus’s apothecary shop just before closing nearly every day for a month, but today, today he knew he would finally muster the courage to ask him to dinner. He knew it would happen. It was practically destiny. All day Harry had been staring out his window, watching the rain pour down, and debating whether or not he should just give in and ask Severus out. The second he decided he would go see Severus, the rain stopped and the sun shone through the clouds. If that wasn’t a sign, Harry didn’t know what was.  
  
Determined, Harry pushed open the door.  
  
“Severus,” he called out.  
  
And promptly felt his legs slide out from under him.  
  
Somehow, before he managed to hit the floor, strong arms wrapped around him and held him upright. Harry flushed and grabbed onto them to steady himself.  
  
“Slippery,” Harry muttered.  
  
“Only when wet,” Severus commented drily. “Are you hurt?”  
  
“Just my pride,” Harry said under his breath. At Severus’s puzzled gaze, he said more loudly, “No, I’m fine.”  
  
Severus nodded and released him, so abruptly Harry nearly lost his balance again. “Good. It’s been difficult keeping that spot dry. Idiotic customers keep traipsing in and bringing their muck with them.”  
  
Harry watched as Severus headed towards the back of the shop and began straightening items on the shelves. Maybe this was a bad idea. He and Severus had established a good friendship, and it would be stupid to jeopardise that. Hell, Severus hadn’t even given any real indication he’d be interested in pursuing a relationship with Harry. Sure, he tolerated Harry in his shop, and sometimes they spent hours conversing long after the store had closed for the night. But just look at the man now, entirely absorbed in cleaning up his store. Harry might as well not even be there.  
  
“What can I do for you today, Harry?” Severus asked, not looking back at him.  
  
“Oh, you know. Just stopping by to say hello,” Harry said, rubbing the back of his head. This was even harder than he thought it would be. Clearly that sign was a pile of rubbish.  
  
“Ah,” Severus said. He took out his wand and began to quietly cast cleaning charms. “How was your day?”  
  
“Not bad,” Harry said. “Can’t complain.”  
  
“Good,” said Severus.  
  
Silence.  
  
Harry stared down at his feet. This wasn’t going at all as planned. He had no trouble asking men out. What was it about Severus that made him entirely freeze up and feel like a nervous schoolboy about to ask his crush to dance for the very first time?  
  
He sighed and eyed the door. Another day, then. Or perhaps it was time to rethink this entire idea. If it were meant to be, it wouldn’t be this damn difficult.  
  
“I guess I should get going,” he said. “I’ll see you later.”  
  
“Harry,” Severus said, finally turning to face him. “Something’s on your mind. Why don’t you just say it?”  
  
“I want to ask you to dinner,” Harry blurted out. He blinked, surprised to hear the words escape from his mouth. “I want to ask you to dinner,” he repeated, more slowly.  
  
Severus glanced at the clock on the wall. “Well, all right. I suppose I could go out tonight. I have no urgent potions to brew for tomorrow.”  
  
Harry shook his head. “No, Severus. I don’t want to ask you to dinner.”  
  
Severus frowned. “But you just said …”  
  
“I want to ask you out,” Harry clarified. “I want to date you, and if that goes well, then kiss you, and then have a relationship with you. A romantic relationship. But now that I’m actually saying it out loud I realise how utterly mad it all is and you don’t have to look at me like that, just forget I said anything. I know you’re not interested, and that’s fine, really. I’ll show myself out.”  
  
Severus waved his wand at the door. To Harry’s surprise, instead of the door swinging open, the lock turned, and the CLOSED sign appeared in the window.  
  
“Severus?”  
  
“I’m interested,” Severus said quietly.  
  
Harry’s jaw dropped open. “You are?”  
  
“Haven’t you been able to tell?” Severus snapped. “Do you think I’d tolerate anybody else lollygagging about after my store closed?”  
  
Harry shrugged. “That just means you tolerate me, not that you want to be with me.”  
  
Severus reached for Harry’s wrist. The intensity of his gaze threatened to incinerate Harry. “I want to be with you,” he said, his voice barely a whisper. “The only thing that gets me through each cursed day here is the thought that you might stop by. At night I fall asleep with the sound of your voice running through my head, and when I lose consciousness the sight of you taunts me in my dreams. Believe me, Harry. I am _more_ than interested."  
  
“But when I fell,” Harry protested. “When I fell you dropped me as soon as I regained my footing. I thought you didn’t even want to touch me.”  
  
Severus pulled Harry flush against his body, his arousal extremely evident. “That’s why, Harry,” he said. “I couldn’t reveal that yet. Not until I was certain.”  
  
“Wow,” Harry breathed. “Wow.”  
  
Severus chuckled, his breath tickling Harry’s face. “Indeed.”  
  
Severus was so close, like this. Harry would barely even have to tilt his face, and his lips would be against Severus’s, and he would be able to taste exactly what he had been obsessing over for months. Really, all he’d need to do was pull Severus’s face down slightly, just like this, and then lean up the barest amount, just like …  
  
 _Yes._  
  
“Wow,” Harry gasped again once they parted. “That was incredible.”  
  
“I would agree,” Severus said. “Not that I truly want to interrupt this, but if we want to get dinner, we should leave now to avoid the rush.”  
  
Harry nodded and took Severus’s hand. “Of course.” He pulled Severus towards the door. “Come on. I know of a great Italian place.”  
  
“Now, watch your step,” Severus said. “I can’t guarantee I’ll always be there to catch you every time you fall to your feet.”  
  
Harry grinned and squeezed his hand. “I don’t know,” he said. “You haven’t let me down yet. Somehow I don’t think that’s going to change any time soon.”  
  
Severus harrumphed, but Harry noticed that he squeezed his hand just a bit tighter. Happier than he had felt in ages, Harry leaned up to give Severus another kiss.  
  
Perhaps there was something to be said for signs.

* * *  
  
---


End file.
